I THE GIBBONS. 43 



may be added that she instantly bit off the head of the 

 bird, picked its feathers, and then threw it down without 

 attempting to eat it. 



" On another occasion this animal swung herself from 

 a perch, across a passage at least twelve feet wide, against 

 a window which it was thought would be immediately 

 broken: but not so; to the surprise of all, she caught the 

 narrow framework between the panes with her hand, in 

 an instant attained the proper impetus, and sprang back 

 again to the cage she had left — a feat requiring not only 

 great strength, but the nicest precision." 



The Gibbons appear to be naturally very 

 gentle, but there is very good evidence that they 

 will bite severely when irritated — a female Hylo- 

 bates agilis having so severely lacerated one man 

 with her long canines, that he died; while she had 

 injured others so much that, by way of precaution, 

 these formidable teeth had been filed down; but, 

 if threatened, she would still turn on her keeper. 

 The Gibbons eat insects, but appear generally to 

 avoid animal food. A Siamang, however, was 

 seen by Mr. Bennett to seize and devour greedily 

 a live lizard. They commonly drink by dipping 

 their fingers in the liquid and then licking them. 

 It is asserted that they sleep in a sitting posture. 



Duvaucel affirms that he has seen the females 

 carry their young to the waterside and there wash 

 their faces, in spite of resistance and cries. They 

 are gentle and affectionate in captivity — full of 

 tricks and pettishness, like spoiled children, and 

 yet not devoid of a certain conscience, as an anec- 



